Almost half of New York State voters prefer a power-sharing coalition to control the State
Senate and more than half believe this coalition would be a "good way to create effective
government," rather than "a power grab by a handful of elected leaders," according to a
Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Offered three choices by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, 48
percent of voters prefer a coalition to decide what bills come up for a vote, while 31 percent want
Democratic control and 17 percent want Republican control.

The new State Senate coalition will be effective, 53 percent of voters say, while 30
percent call it a power grab.

A total of 80 percent of voters say Gov. Cuomo's response to Hurricane Sandy was
"excellent" or "good." Support is strong among all groups.

"Now that the three-men-in-a-room has become a quartet, will they be able to
harmonize?" asks Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Democrats in the coalition have been promised votes on some of their legislative
priorities. But they haven't been promised that the bills will pass. Let's see how sturdy this deal
is. So far, voters like the coalition.

"Good government or power grab? Most rate it as good government, but a sizable group
says power grab," Carroll added.

"Politicians and pundits keep talking about Gov. Andrew Cuomo for President. But it's
worth noting that Cuomo-as-Governor still polls lofty job-approval numbers. He gets great
grades for coping with Sandy."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should not run for mayor of New York City, voters
statewide say 58 - 36 percent. New York City voters say 51 - 46 percent Clinton should not run
for mayor.

New York State voters approve 61 - 18 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is
doing, her highest score ever.

Voters disapprove 46 - 35 percent of the job the State Legislature is doing, continuing its
own long tradition of bad grades, but the least bad score since a 43 - 34 percent disapproval in an
April, 2007, Quinnipiac University poll.

"Who knows?" Carroll asked. "Maybe the new coalition leadership in the State Senate
finally will lift the State Legislature out of the job approval swamp."

A total of 73 percent of New York State voters say government corruption is a "very
serious" or "somewhat serious" problem, with agreement among all groups.

Cuomo, not the State Legislature, should have primary responsibility for cleaning up
legislative corruption, voters say 48 - 36 percent.

A total of 48 percent of voters say Cuomo is doing an "excellent" or "good" job cleaning
up legislative corruption. The clean-up job legislative leaders are doing is "not so good" or
"poor," 64 percent of voters say.

New York State voters oppose 51 - 39 percent of public campaign financing for
candidates for governor, the State Legislature and other statewide office.

From December 5 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,302 New York State voters
with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell
phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more information or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Andrew Cuomo is handling his job as Governor? (* Subgroup size less than 75, additional caution should be taken when interpreting findings of this group because of the large margin of error)

4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? (* Subgroup size less than 75, additional caution should be taken when interpreting findings of this group because of the large margin of error)

7. As you may be aware, the Democrats control the New York State Assembly. Who do you want to control the New York State Senate, the Democrats, the Republicans, or a coalition in which Democrats and Republicans share power in deciding what bills come up for a vote?

8. As you may be aware, state senate Republicans and five state senate Democrats have announced a coalition where they will share control of the New York State Senate, deciding which bills come up for a vote. Do you think this coalition leadership of the New York State Senate is a good way to create effective government or a power grab by a handful of elected officials?